The Hauntings of Keystone State Park
Have you ever wanted to visit a state park and also investigate the otherworldly? Is camping with ghosts something that you would fancy? If you are planning a summer vacation around things that go bump in the night, look no further than the 1,200-acre Keystone State Park, nestled in the rolling hills of Westmoreland County in western Pennsylvania, conveniently located off Route 22 near New Alexandria.
Why is Keystone State Park haunted?
The park’s main attraction is the man-made 78-acre Keystone Lake which was used in the coal industry and is the eponym for the park. It is this history of mining that provides the catalyst for the hauntings that occur even now in this otherwise quiet, secluded woodland setting. Keep reading to learn more about the hauntings of Keystone State Park. To see some of the area’s most haunted locations in person, book a ghost tour with Pittsburgh Ghosts!
History of Keystone
Originally part of a homestead owned by the McClelland family, Keystone Coal and Coke Company purchased the land in the early 1900s and constructed Keystone Lake for use in washing coal extracted from a nearby coal mine known as Salem #1 and cooling its coke ovens. This coke was then shipped all over the world to fuel the ever-growing industrial demand for this by-product of coal mining. A second mine, Salem #2, was in operation by the 1910s in the current confines of the park. The Salem #2 mine consisted of a rich seam of bituminous coal.
Mules pulled wood and metal wagons to haul the coal out of this low-seam mine. The tunnel was only two to four feet high, and conditions in which the miners worked were hellish. Digging on hands and knees, often soaked in water that would seep into the mine, these men rarely saw the sun. Operational for a little over 30 years, this mine produced enough coal to fill a baseball field ten stories high. This would be the equivalent of about 98,000 tons of this black gold.
Ghostly Encounters
Unfortunately, these working conditions would claim lives, and at least two miners are known to have died working at the mine that now lies in what is now the state park. And it is the ghosts of these miners that haunt the park. Abandoned mine tunnels lie beneath the camping area known as Hillside Campground and the cabin area within the park. A sealed-off mine entrance is located east of Pavilion #2 and north of the cabin entrance road. It is in these areas that the ghosts often manifest.
Many campers have reported seeing a light flickering through the woods in the dead of night, a faint flame claimed to be what the miners used to illuminate the mine in which they toiled. Some visitors to the park have even reported full-bodied apparitions to the park rangers as these specters passed their tents.
Some witnesses have captured the sounds of mules whining and the clang of what resonates as metal tools against rock. Are these the residual sounds of the mining industry that created the park? It seems as if at least two intelligent hauntings linger within this park—these are the souls of the departed who remain earthbound for whatever reason. It is possible that they died so suddenly that they do not know that they are dead and so ceaselessly return to their work in the mine long after it was sealed shut in 1945. Whatever the reason for this paranormal activity, let us just say that campers often get more than they bargained for after the sun has set and the campfire has smoldered to glowing embers.
James A. Keel Visitors Center
The ghost that haunts the visitor’s center appears to be a man of authority, possibly James Keel, the owner of the mining operation centered on this park. The visitor center is made of limestone quarried from the park. Limestone, like granite, is often a component in hauntings, possibly because certain stones act as batteries and store energy. If this is the case, then the living could imprint on the rocks in the environment, and occasionally, this energy is released, and people then witness a playback of events that occurred in the past. This is the theory many hold for residual hauntings. But this haunting seems to be intelligent as if the spirit can understand and even communicate.
Keep in mind, not all hauntings are terrifying, and, in fact, this ghost seems to call the visitor’s center home simply because it likes the place. This was a vacation house to be used by employees, built in 1909. Perhaps this is the ghost of the former owner assuring that all are fit for his weary men who need a break.
One ranger was cleaning up after a presentation one summer evening. It was dark outside and in the middle of summer. Suddenly, the hair on her arms stood up, and she felt like she was being watched. Soon, she could see her breath form in clouds as the room’s temperature dropped to nearly freezing. She slowly turned to see the figure of a man dressed in a jacket and waistcoat. He had a smartly trimmed beard and appeared to be a regular person, but as the ranger studied this figure more, she could see that he had no legs and was a corporeal torso suspended in the air, and his lower limbs were vaporous. Their eyes met and the ghost smiled and put a finger to his lips. Then all the lights went out!
Haunted Pennsylvania
The James A. Keel Visitor’s Center offers regular programs within the historic building. The lake offers superb fishing, and the miles of trails that line the park will satisfy any hiker. If you are adventurous, pitch a tent and sleep under the stars. But keep in mind that this park has a history, and people died while working here.
If you are there at the right time, you may catch these ghostly specters moving through the woods as they head to the nearly forgotten mines. You may also catch a glimpse of the former owner, who still oversees the operations of his cabin. Keep your camera at the ready. You could get a souvenir from the afterlife.
For more haunted locations in Pennsylvania, keep reading our blog. To see some of them in person, book a ghost tour with Pittsburgh Ghosts!
Sources
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/KeystoneStatePark/Pages/default.aspx
https://bmeandering.blogspot.com/2012/06/corner-view-mineral.html
